Stretcher



J. P. KENYON.

STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25. ms.

I 1,303,915. Patented May 20, 1919.

\Ellll i .IN'SZ'ENTDR- shown inuse;

JAMES P. KENYON, or owronv'r, ILLINOIS.

STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Application field March 25, 1918. Serial No. 224,471.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. KnNYoN, a citizen of the United States, a resident of Lowpoint, in the county of Woodford and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stretchers, of which the following. is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stretchers, and particularly to lmprovements in fence stretchers, the principal object of this invention being the provision of a device which'is simple in construction and very effective in operation, and which may be quickly and easilyset up and taken down.

Further objects of this invention include improvements in detailsof construction and arrangement, whereby the aboveobjects are accomplished.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and .then sought to be defined in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyin drawing forming a part hereof, and which shows merely for the'purpose of illustrative disclosure, a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that various changes may be made in practice within the scope of the claims without digressing from my inventive idea.

, In the drawing,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a device constructed to embody my invention Fig. 2. is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a detailof the adjustable connection for the links of the chain to the different parts of the device; 7

Fig, 4 is a sidev elevation, and

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the spring construction for causing the proper operation of the latch.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the fence and 2, one of the fence posts. Thefence is clamped between the clamping members 3 which are secured-together by anysuitable means, and which is connected to the pulling mechanism of the device. The device itself includes the main beam 4 which is of considerable length and which is provided on its end with of the main beam 4.

The pulling mechanism includes the lever 11 which has the handle portion 12 and the yoke portion 13, which embraces the main beam 4, the ends being connected by a suitable memberl4 which receives and holds the hook membeg 15, shown in detail in Fig. 3.

Secured to an intermediate art of the lever 11 is the dog or pawl 16, w ich is forced to engaging position by means of the tension spring 16 and pivoted on the free end of the yoke part of the lever is the latch 18, which extends to the opposite side of the lever from pawl 16, and is in the form of a loop, having the engaging part 19. This is.

normally held in engaging position by means of the spring member 20 which has the arm 21 engaging the yoke part 13 of lever 11, the coil part 22 being positioned about bolt 14 and the arm 23 engaging one of the arms of the latch 18, as shown clearly in Figs. 4 and 5.

The hook member 15 is provided with the pair of spaced hook portions 24 which are, adapted tb receive a link of the chain 25 lengthwise, the end link or any other suitable link being positioned cross-wise in the hooks and thereby affording a secure attachment for the chain. This chain 25 passes around. pulley 26, which is connected as shown, to the clamping members 3, the chain 25 passing rearwardly along the beam 4 to the rear hook member 27, which is like the hook member 25, previously described.

Secured along one side of the main beam 4 is the ratchet plate or bar 28 which is provided with the plurality of teeth 29 and the forward end of which is secured to the beam 4 by means of the same bolt 30 that secures the head or casting 5, to the beam 4, the end of the ratchet plate 0r bar fitting under the clutch part of the head or casting 5. The other end of the casting plate or bar 28 is secured to the beam 4 by means of the same bolt 31 which connects the hook member 27 thereto.

The operation of the device is obvious from a consideration of this description taken in connection with the drawing. The lever may be first pushed to the left in Fig. 2, which will cause the loop latch 18 to move back one or more notches. The lever is then moved 'to the right in Fig. 2, which will move the pawl 16 back one or more notches, so that gradually the fence is drawn and tightened there in proper condition for fastening.

t It is therefore seen that I have provided a construction which is exceedingly simple and cheap to manufacture, and easy to set up and operate.

hat I claim is I 1. A mechanism of the character described, including in combination, a main beam, adjustable supporting means for one end of said main beam, a head member on the other end of the main beam adapted to engage a post, said main beam being provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth,

clamping means, a pulley connected to said clamplng means and having a flex1bleele- -ment passing therearound, one end'of said flexible element being c'onnected to the main beam, a lever to the free end of which-the other end of said flexible element is connected, said lever having a pawl and also -a latch extending in opposite directions to each other, and adapted to engage the ratchet teethon said beam.

2. A mechanism of the character described, including in combination, a main beam, adjustable supporting means for one end of said main beam, a head member on the other, end of the main beamadapted to engage a; post, said mainbeam being provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth, clamping means, a pulley connected to said clamping means and having a flexible ele ment passing therearound, one end of said flexible element being connected to the main 45 beam,"a,jlever having a handle part and a yoke part adapted to embrace said beam, the other end of said flexible element being connected to the free ends of the yoke part of said lever, a loop latch connected to the 50 free ends of the yoke part of said lever and adapted to engage the ratchet teeth, and a pawl connected to said lever and extending in an oppositedirection to said loop latch, and adapted to engage said teeth.

3. A mechanism of the character described, including in combination, a main beam, adjustable supporting means for one end of said main beam, a head member on the other end of the main beam adapted to engage a post, said main beam being provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth, clamping means, a pulley connected to sa d clamping means and having a flexlble element, one end of said flexible element being connected to the main beam, a lever havlng direction to said loop latch, and adapted to engage said teeth, and resilient means for said loop latch and for said pulley for normally forcing them into engagement with said ratchet teeth.

7 4. A mechanism of the character de-- scribed, including in combinatio11,-amain beam, adjustable supporting means for one endof said main beam, a head member on the other end of the main beam adapted to engage "a post, said main'beam being provided with a plurality of ratchet "teeth,

clamping means, a pulley connectedito said clamping means and having a flexible element passing therearound, one end of -sa1d flexible element being connected to the main beam, a lever having a handle part and a yoke part adapted to embrace said beam, ahook member connected to the free ends of-the yoke part of said lever, said hook member having a pairof spaced hooks adapted to receive and hold the other end of said flexible element, a l'oop'latch connected to the free ends of the yoke part of said lever, and having resilient means for normally forcing it into engagement with said ratchet teeth, and a pawlpivotally secured to said lever on the opposite side of said beam, and extending in an opposite direction to said latch and-having resilient means for forcing it into engagement with said ratchet teeth. p

5. A mechanism of the character described, including in conibi'natioma imain 'beam,-an adjustable supporting means for one end of-the main beam, a head for the other end of the main beam having a-c'oncave portion to engage a post andhaving a socket portion to receive the end of the main beam, a ratchet plate secured to-said' main beam, one end of said ratchet plate fitting within the socket of said head, and

a single securing means fastening the ratchet plate and the head to the main beam, clamping means adapted to clamp a means, a hook member near the other end of the mam beam, a s1ngle+secur1ng means for fastening theotherencl of said'ratchet [a yoke part, a hook member mounted between the free ends of the yoke part of said 'fence,a pulley connected to said clamping lever, said hook member having a pair of' spaced hooking elements adapted to receive one link of the chain longitudinally and the next link of the chain transversely, so as to aiford a secure attachment, a loop latch connected to the free ends of the yoke part of the lever and having resilient means for forcing it into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet plate, and a pawl conneeted to the lever on the opposite side of the main beam and extending in an opposite direction to said loop latch and having 10 resilient means for forcing it into engagement with the teeth of said ratchet plate.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal this 21st day of March, 1918.

JAMES P. KENYON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. V 

